Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories

Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories

by John Golden
Released August 2012
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 9780071792004

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Book description

FROM THE CREATORS OF SPIN SELLING—TRIED-AND-TRUE STRATEGIES TO ARM YOU IN THE WAR FOR SALES SUPREMACY

"I distinctly remember my first VP talking about 'campaigns' and 'targets.' Indeed, successful salespeople have made learning from military tactics an important aspect of their careers. In this engaging read chock-full of practical and richly illustrated examples, John Golden provides strategies that are sure to increase even the most seasoned sales pros' success rates. It's a completely new take on sales education with powerful lessons you'll use to win your own sales battles." -- David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR

"There’s no doubt salespeople will profit from the book’s focus on besting one's opponent in a battleground much changed by the information explosion of the Internet." -- William Dermody, World/Military Affairs Editor, USA Today

"An innovative and very insightful perspective on what it really takes to win." -- Dave Stein, CEO and founder, ES Research Group, Inc.

"Great sales lessons presented in a really unique and interesting format . . . I recommend it for sales people starting out in the field as well as seasoned pros. -- Chuck Lennon, President, TeamLogic

"A good military strategist is, after all, a salesman, which leads me to believe that a good salesman would make a good military strategist. The author has done an excellent job of showing how those two different communities are in fact very similar." -- Brigadier General Julie A. Bentz, PhDTM

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Introduction
  7. Chapter Layout
  8. Part 1: The Sales Call
    1. Chapter 1: Battle of Magdala—British Abyssinian Campaign General Napier versus Emperor Tewodros II (1868)
      1. On Preparation
    2. Chapter 2: The Naked Duel Humphrey Howarth versus the Earl of Barrymore (1806)
      1. On the Importance of Planning
    3. Chapter 3: Battle of Trafalgar—Napoleonic Wars British Royal Navy versus the French and Spanish Fleets (1805)
      1. Opening the Call
    4. Chapter 4: Quintus Fabius Maximus versus Hannibal Second Punic War (218–201 BC)
      1. On Not Presenting Too Early: The SPIN Model
    5. Chapter 5: Mutiny on the Bounty Captain Bligh versus Master’s Mate Christian Fletcher and the Mutineers (1789)
      1. The Value Drivers: The Unrecognized Problem
    6. Chapter 6: Battle of the Crater—Siege of Petersburg U.S. Civil War (1864)
      1. The Value Drivers: The Unanticipated Solution
    7. Chapter 7: Battle of Clontarf Brian Boru versus the Vikings (1014)
      1. The Value Drivers: The Unseen Opportunity
    8. Chapter 8: Battle of New Orleans—War of 1812 Andrew Jackson versus the British (1815)
      1. The Value Drivers: The Broker of Capabilities
    9. Chapter 9: Battle of Isandlwana: Anglo-Zulu War British versus the Zulus (1879)
      1. On Prescription before Diagnosis
    10. Chapter 10: Gunfight (Near) the OK Corral Wyatt Earp et al. versus the Cowboys (1881)
      1. On Preventing Objections
    11. Chapter 11: Pickett’s Charge—Battle of Gettysburg U.S. Civil War (1863)
      1. On Throwing Good Resources after Bad
  9. Part 2: Account Strategy
    1. Chapter 12: Great Swamp Fight—King Philip’s War New England Colonies versus Narragansett Tribe (1675)
      1. Entry Strategy: On Using the Focus of Dissatisfaction
    2. Chapter 13: Battle of Aughrim—Williamite War William III versus the Jacobites (1691)
      1. Entry Strategy: On Gaining Access to the Focus of Power
    3. Chapter 14: Battle of Megiddo Thutmose III versus the Canaanites (ca. 1457 BC)
      1. The Buying Cycle: Implementation (On the Importance of Follow-up)
    4. Chapter 15: Charge of the Light Brigade—Crimean War British versus the Russians (1854)
      1. The Buying Cycle: Implementation 2 (On the Consequences of Failure to Align Internally)
    5. Chapter 16: Battle of Carrhae Romans versus the Parthians (53 BC)
      1. The Buying Cycle: Resolution of Concerns (The Parting Shot)
    6. Chapter 17: Defense of Little Round Top—Battle of Gettysburg U.S. Civil War (1863)
      1. On Handling the Motivation Dip
    7. Chapter 18: Battle of Crécy—Hundred Years War English versus the French (1346)
      1. On Vulnerability Analysis
    8. Chapter 19: Battle of the Ice Alexander Nevsky versus the Teutonic Knights (1242)
      1. Countering Vulnerability: Influencing Decision Criteria
    9. Chapter 20: Battle of Sudomer—Hussite Wars General Zisca versus Emperor Sigismund (1420)
      1. Countering Vulnerability: Increasing Strengths
    10. Chapter 21: Samurai Battle of Nagashino Katsuyori versus Ieyasu and Nobunaga (1575)
      1. Countering Vulnerability: Diminishing the Competition
    11. Chapter 22: Battle of Kircholm Winged Hussars versus the Swedish Army (1605)
      1. On Maximizing Differentiators
    12. Chapter 23: The Whiskey Rebellion Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee versus the Pennsylvania Farmers (1794)
      1. On Effective Negotiating Behaviors
  10. Part 3: Sales Management
    1. Chapter 24: David and Goliath Israelites versus the Philistines (1024 BC)
      1. CRM Sales Force Automation: On Choosing the Right Tools
    2. Chapter 25: Battle of Châlons—Hunnic Invasions of Gaul Romans versus Attila (451)
      1. The Feel-Good Funnel: On Using Time Wisely
    3. Chapter 26: The Siege of Hara Castle The Shimabara Rebellion (1638)
      1. The Silent Killers
    4. Chapter 27: Napoleon’s March on Moscow The Grand Army versus the Russians (1812)
      1. On the Importance of Good Forecasting
    5. Chapter 28: Pyrrhus of Epirus Campaign Against the Romans (280–279 BC)
      1. On the Pyrrhic Victory (or Not Buying Revenue)
    6. Chapter 29: Battle of Gravelines The British Royal Navy versus The Spanish Armada (1588)
      1. On Balancing Efficiency and Effectiveness
  11. Latin Quotes
  12. Index

Product information

  • Title: Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories
  • Author(s): John Golden
  • Release date: August 2012
  • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
  • ISBN: 9780071792004